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“I have my mind inside the bicep when I do my curls, my mind is inside the pectoral muscles when I do my bench press, I'm really inside and it's like I gain a form of meditation because you have no chance of thinking or concentrating on anything else at that time” - Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold’s book Total Recall is an amazing account of how he has methodically and systematically planned and executed his career. Real estate, bodybuilding, movies, politics and charitable work is all designed, visualised and put into action with extraordinary outcomes. Focus is a key superpower for Arnold. You may not exercise your biceps or pecs but take advice from his process. When you are reading, be inside the book. When you are writing a proposal, just be inside the work and leave the outside world outside. When you are talking to children, be inside the conversation. When you are engaging with a team member, be enveloped by the conversation. When you are enjoying a movie, be in the story. When listening to music, be in the band. Cal Newport author of Deep Work said that focus is the new IQ. Arnold’s example of focusing intently on what it is you are doing at that moment is a stepping stone to your future IQ.
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 “If real self-improvement is what we’re after, why do we leave our reading until those few minutes before we shut off the lights and go to bed?” says author Ryan Holiday. This is such an interesting point of view. Why is it that if we were to sit down with a great book during the day, we would have a huge sense of guilt, be so concerned about what others think of us or compare ourselves to the busy productive distracted crowd of people rushing through their day around us? Yet most people would acknowledge that learning, feeding your imagination, learning new skills and taking in opposing views to add to your own knowledge base is critical to any leader in any field in order to progress. With that being said we cram it in the back end of the day when we are exhausted, in many cases still distracted, and use it as a way to fall asleep. We know that reading is a superpower if cultivated and curated in the right way. Prioritise your reading and create rituals to enhance your superpower and don’t leave it to the point of exhaustion to take on this critical opportunity to grow and enhance your skill base. I can’t help but think that this could be one of the most profound demonstrations you could use to enhance the learning of your children who are looking to you to model behaviour as their superhero.
 Many experts spoke of the new normal. It’s funny how in the last couple of weeks as business returns, what was normal is still normal. Some things are back to normal. People being late for calls, rushing to meetings, failing to meet deadlines, multitasking, talking on the phone when you know they are clearly doing something else at the same time, checking emails on their day off, and having conversations when your mind is elsewhere. It’s common. Sadly it’s normal. This was not the case over the last few months however we're back to normal. This is a choice for all of us to make. If there are any positives to come from the pandemic then make the appropriate changes to not be common and normal. The true leader who inspires others is anything but common. They are uncommon in their thinking, their actions, the standards and their discipline. Plan your day, be intentional, say no to distractions and be present in every call, meeting, face-to-face conversation or even with yourself in solitude.
 With the great disruption in business globally over the last few months, some categories have flourished. Take for example the mannequin industry. It seems restaurants are purchasing mannequins to sit at tables to make social distancing seem less awkward by creating a crowd. Even Michelin Star restaurants are getting in on the act. It’s an interesting idea as last week I delivered to keynote speech to 50 CEOs who were all spread out, 2 metres apart in a giant semi circle around me… it was really quite odd to have so much space and yet people sitting so far apart. Now if there had been mannequins … well that would have made it seem like a full house!
So, the other thought is that once the social distancing, some time in the future is relaxed, all these restaurants will be dumping their stand in patrons… standby for a giant clearance sale on only slightly used mannequins |
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